Controlling mechanism.



E. T. FOOTE. CONTROLLING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 12, I915.

' Patented May 2,1916.

ES PATET FlCE.

EDWARD T. FOO'IE, 0F MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE CUTLER-HAMMER MFG. CO., 0F MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

' CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1916.

Application filed February 12, 1915. Serial N 0. 7,837.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD T. Foo'rn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Controlling Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification.

This invention relates to controlling mechanisms for electrically propelled ore bridges and the like.

As is understood, ore bridges are commonly propelled by two motors acting independently on opposite ends thereof and in practice it frequently happens, through carelessness of the operator or otherwise, that the bridge becomes skewed on its tracks. Undue skewing in the case of articulated bridges has been overcome by skew limit switches, but the switches used for this type of bridge are inapplicable to the rigid or stiff-legged type.

The present invention has among its objects to provide a skew limit switch mechanism suitable for stiff-legged bridges.

Another object of the invention is to provide a limit switch mechanism which will function as desired upon skewing of the bridge'but which will be free from interference by any shifting of the bridge not of the skewing character.

A further object is to provide a skew limit mechanism for stilf-legged bridges which may be utilized in various different ways to effect the desired results.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention and the same will now be described, it being understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment thereof illustrated.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a schematic view showing in top plan astiff-legged bridge equipped with driving motors and skew limit switches; Fig. 2 is a detail View of one limit switch; and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a simplified controller for the two driving motors exemplifying one use of the limit switches.

Referring to Fig. l the bridge is schematically illustrated as comprising a cross beam 5 prov ded at opposite ends with stiff or non-articulated legs 6 and 7 having rollers 8 to travel on tracks 9 and 10. The left hand end of the bridge is provided with a propulsion motor 11 operating the left hand rollers 8 through suitable connections 12, while the right hand end of the bridge is provided with a similar propulsion motor 13 driving the right hand rollers 8 through a duplicate set of connections 12. Further, as is schematically illustrated in Fig. 1, the left hand end of the bridge carries two skew limit devices A and B while the right hand end of the bridge carries similar devices C and D.

The limit devices A, B, C and D are all of the same construction and as illustrated in Fig. 2 each comprises two spring closed switches 14 and 15 having arranged therebetween a pivoted member 16 provided with a bifurcated portion 17 to straddle one of the tracks on which the bridge travels. The member 16 normally stands between and out of engagement with both switches but is operable in opposite directions to open said switches selectively and, as will be apparent, bodily movement of the whole device transversely of the track provides for such movements of the member 16. Thus it will likewise be apparent that if the two devices on each leg of the bridge be arranged as illustrated in Fig. l the members 16 thereof will be centered so long as the bridge is squared but will be shifted in one direction or the other whenever the bridge is skewed, according to the direction of travel of-the bridge and the relation of the ends thereof. For example, if the bridge is traveling in the direction of the arrow and is skewed to advance its right hand end then the members ing of the bridge without skewing will operate the members 16 of the various limit devices, but as will hereinafter be set forth, the devices are functionally dependent upon operation of the several switches in pairs and the switches of each pair are so disposed as to require a skewing action of the bridge in order to operate the same simultaneously. For example, the switch liOf the device A may be paired with the switch 15 of the device Bto function only upon operation of both, and under such conditions it will be apparent that while lateral movement of the bridge may open either one or the other of said switches, according to the direction of its-motion, a skewing action of the bridge will be required to open both at the same time. lVhile the several switches 1 1 and 15 are illustrated as of the single poletype, it will be understood that if desired the same may each be provided with a number of poles and that said switches may also be modified in various other respects.

Referring now to Fig. 3 the limit devices A and B have been illustrated as controlling magnetic switches 18 and 19 in turn controlling the continuity of circuit and direction of operation of the driving motor 11 while the right hand limit devices C and 'D have been- .illustrated as controlling magnetic switches 20 and 21 similarly controlling the driving motor 13. In brief, the arrangement is such that the limit devices on opposite ends arrest the operation of their A corresponding motor upon skewing of the bridge to advance their respective ends and they so function regardless of the direction of travel of the bridge. Thus when the bridge skews the advanced end thereof is arrested while its opposite end is permitted to continue its movement which, of course, tends to square the bridge for continued travel. Obviously, however, the limit switches might be utilized in other ways.

Referring more specifically to Fig. 3 the same also shows schematically a manual controller 22 for the switches 18 and 19 whereby the operation of the motor 11 may be controlled at will and a similar controller 23 for the switches 20 and 21 and hence for the motor 13. hen the controller 22 is operated to energize'the switch 18 it completes the circuit of the motor 11 from line L by conductor 24; through the upper contacts of switch 18, by conductors 25 and 26 through the armature A of said motor from left to right, by conductor 27 through the lower contacts of'switc'h 18, by conductor 28 through the motor field winding F, by conductor 29 to line L. This effects operation of the motor in one direction which, it'may be assumed, corresponds to that for operating the bridge in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1. On the Other hand, when the controller 22 is operated to energize switch 19 the motor circuit extends from line L by conductor 2 1 through the upper contacts of said switch 19, by conductor 27 through the motor armature from right'to left, by conductor 26 through"th'elower contacts ofswitch 19, by conductors 30 and 28 through the motor field winding and thence as already traced to line L. This reverses the operation of the motor. The switches 20 and 21 es'tablish'precisely the same circuits for motor 13 so that it is needless to specifically describe the same; The motors are thus capableof independent control and as will be understood, the same may beprovided with any desired accelerating and speed regulating means.

The switches 14' and 15 of the various limit devices are illustrated inthe s'amerelationa's in Fig. 1 and the function of these switches will' be readily apparent upon tracing the various control circuits. Considering first the control circuits for switch 18 the same extends from line L by conductor 31 through the controller and through the winding of'said switch, by' con ductor 33 through the switch 15 of limit device A and switch 1 1, oflii'nit device B in parallel, by conductor 34: to line L. Next, considering switch 19, the control circuit thereof extendsas alreadytracedto controller 22 and thence by conductor 35 through the winding "of said switch, by 'conductor 36 through the switch 15 of device B and switch 14; ofdevice A inparallelto conductor 34: and line L. Thus deenergization of each of the control switches of motor hand. end during either forward or backward traveler the bridge. The connections of limit devices'C and D of the windings of switches 20 and '21are in all'respects similar to the connections just'described'in connection with switches 18 and 19 and therefore do not 'requirespecific description. The control circuit of the winding of switch 20 extends throughswitch 14 of .deviceC and switch 15 of device D in p'arallel'whi'le the control circuit of switch 21'' eXt'enols through'switch 140i device D and switch 15 of deviceG in parallel.

As before stated, various modifications may be made in the control mechanism illustrated and it wi'lltherefore-be understood that the following claims-comprehend all modificatlons falling within the scope thereof.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination with a rigid traveling device having power driving means and a definite path of travel, of power controlling means therefor including means associated with said device and operable by skewing movement thereof.

2. The combination with a rigid traveling device, having power driving means and a definite path of travel, of power controlling means therefor including means associated with said device and selectively operable by different skewing movements thereof.

3. The combination with a rigid traveling device having power driving means and a definite path of travel, of automatic power controlling means therefor including skew detecting means associated with and operable by said device.

4. In combination, a rigid traveling device having power driving means and a definite path of travel, of power controlling means therefor including means associated with and operable by said device upon angular movement thereof with respect to its path of travel, said controlling means beii g functionally independent of angular movement of said device other than of a skewing character.

5. In combination, a traveling bridge or the like, a track therefor and a controlling device for said bridge carried thereby and engaging said track to be operated by skewing movement of said bridge relative to said track.

6. In combination, a traveling bridge, a track therefor and a controlling device for said bridge carried thereby and engaging said track to be operated by skewing movement of said bridge relative to said track and in different ways varying with direction of the skewing movement of said bridge.

7. In combination, a rigid traveling bridge, a track therefor and control means for said bridge including devices fixed to and other devices movably supported on said bridge and the movably supported devices engaging said track to cooperate with said fixed devices upon skewing of said bridge relative to said track.

8. .In combination, a rigid traveling bridge, a track therefor and a controlling mechanism for said bridge, including a plurality of devices fixed to said bridge and a device movably supported on said bridge and engaging said track to cooperate with said former devices selectively upon skewing movements of said bridge.

9. In combination, a traveling device having a definite path of travel, a plurality of controlling devices therefor, operable upon skewing movement of said traveling device or lateral play thereof but so associated as to be functionally unresponsive except upon skewing movement of said traveling device.

10. In combination, a rigid traveling device having a definite path of travel and a plurality of control devices therefor operable by movement of said device out of its path of travel and in different combinations according to the angular position of said traveling device with respect to its path of travel.

11. In combination, a rigid traveling device having a definite path of travel, and a plurality of control devices therefor responsive to movements of said device out of said path but each being functionally dependent upon operation of another.

12. In combination, a rigid traveling device having a definite path of travel and a plurality of controlling devices therefor operable selectively by said device upon movements thereof out of said path, each of said controlling devices being functionally dependent upon another.

13. In combination, a rigid traveling device having a definite path of travel and a plurality of controlling devices therefor operable selectively by said device upon movements thereof out of said path, each of said controlling devices being functionally dependent upon another to function only upon skewing movements of said traveling device.

14. In combination, a traveling device having a definite path of travel, a plurality of controlling devices therefor operable selectively by movements of said traveling device out of said path of travel, said devices cooperating in groups and the devices of each group being responsive for cooperation only upon skewing movements of said traveling device.

I11 witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD T. FOOTE.

Witnesses:

J. C. MALONEY, R. A. OOV'ELL.

flopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

